Printed circuit boards and other electronic components often require the use of heatsinks to dissipate heat generated by the electronic components. Such heatsinks typically include a thin heat-conducting base which is mounted to the component of interest and a plurality of pins, fins or other metallic heat-dissipating elements which extend from the base.
To enhance heat dissipation by these devices, cooling air may be directed to flow past the heat-dissipating element. To date, however, such techniques have not provided optimal enhancement of heat dissipation. This is because the tightly packed fins or pins of the heatsink tend to block the airflow through those elements. This creates a pressure differential that causes a substantial portion, e.g. 75% to 80%, of the airflow directed at the heatsink to pass around the outside of the heatsink. As a result, much of the cooling air avoids contact with the pin or fin elements of the heatsink and optimal cooling is not achieved.
In an attempt to overcome this problem and increase the airflow through the heat-dissipating elements, certain techniques have altered the size, shape and/or diameter of the pins or other elements. However, such changes often adversely affect heatsink performance. Alternatively, a separate air-conducting manifold has been provided to serve each heatsink in the equipment. However, such an apparatus is expensive and complicated to install and there may not be sufficient space available for accommodating a separate manifold duct for each and every heatsink.